Wonder why California homebuying runs at generational lows?

Here’s one undervalued factor: Renting appears to be a significant bargain – even if it’s also expensive.

Zillow has brought ownership expenses to the housing spotlight in a study of what it calls “hidden” ownership expenses: maintenance, property taxes and insurance. Adding those costs to already painful mortgage payments provides a more comprehensive snapshot of the financial burden of ownership. And you can see how owning is costlier than what typical renters pay their landlords.

My trusty spreadsheet broke down Zillow’s hidden cost estimates for 30 large metropolitan areas – including four in California – and contrasted those expenses with another significant monetary headache: the mortgage. These total housing costs were c

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